News Journalism Across the Media: Summative Activities

LESSON PLAN

Level: Grades 7 to 10 About the Author: This unit was adapted from lessons created by Rosalind Ross, David Halliday and John Crocker of the Durham Board of Education in The AML Anthology (1990), produced by the Association for Media Literacy

Overview

This is the final lesson in a unit that explores news journalism across the media. In this lesson, students complete a final project where they construct, present and analyze information about news journalism from a variety of mediums: newspapers, radio and television. Students will also participate in a unit test that measures their understanding of the key concepts that have been emphasized during the course of this unit.

Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate:

 an understanding of how news journalism operates in a variety of mediums  an ability to conduct research and synthesize information from a variety of sources into a coherent whole - using written, oral and visual skills  an understanding of how the key concepts for media literacy apply to news journalism in newspapers, television and radio

Preparation and Materials

 News Unit Test

Procedure

Final Project

The final evaluation for the unit will be a project that consolidates the various materials that have been presented throughout the previous lessons. The project should provide for a variety of activities and difficulty. Students should be given class time to research, develop and present their projects.

Suggested topics include:

 Compare the presentation of a news story in all three of the media studied. (2-3 students)  Create an 8-minute radio news program, with commercials, based on news in the school or community. (3-4 students)

 Create an 8-minute video news program, with commercials, based on news in the school or community. (4-5 students)  Research a news story as it develops over time. (1-2 students)  Stage a debate in which you consider the relative virtues of two media, e.g., radio and television (5 students)  Compare the differences in format between newspapers and news magazines. (1-2 students)  Select one major newspaper and analyze its editorial and advertising content. List percentages of space allotted to international, national, and local events, sports, etc., and explain the focus of the paper (1 or 2 students)  Read a series of editorials from a paper and analyze the political stance of the editor. Write a paper explaining this position. (1 student)  Visit a radio/television station and write a report on the development of a news program. (1 student)  Visit a newspaper office and write a report on the production of the paper. (1 student)  The Internet shares elements of both print-based and broadcast journalism, yet is a distinct medium in its own right. Students could:  Compare how news sources on the Internet treat selected news stories, compared to television or newspapers.  Compare the format of supporting Web pages for a radio or television news program, or for a newspaper, to the original medium. (In particular, note how the Web enhances or develops stories from the original medium.)  Compare mainstream sources of news on the Internet to alternative online news sources.

Evaluation

 There should be two components to the evaluation. One of the components is to be a written submission and the other is to be an oral report or performance.

Final Test

Allow one class for students to complete the News Unit Test.

News Unit Test

N.B. Two marks will be allotted for correct spelling, grammar and sentence structure.

1. VOCABULARY Explain fully SEVEN of the following terms: (2x7=14) ______a. headline f. anchor b. wire service g. column c. ratings h. correspondent d. masthead i. hard news e. network j. layout

2. In standard paragraph format, state which news medium you would choose for the most detailed analysis of a major news story. Explain the reasons for choosing this source. (4) ______

3. What are the "five W's" of news writing? Explain how they are used in writing a news story. (5) ______

(25 - Total Marks) Total ______